Introducing the Board Members of the IRDBF
Board Member and President is Graeme Hamilton of Australia. Graeme was determined to be a dairy farmer since early childhood, following in the family footsteps. Graeme first became enthralled by red dairy cows in his teenage years, and that eager interest has never waned. Graeme has an enduring belief that greater collaboration between the various red dairy breeds is necessary, and will lead to growth opportunities for breeders. For the red breeds to prosper, individual breeders must see tangible rewards for their breeding endeavours. It is the task of the IRDBF to foster this improved cooperation.
Email: graeme@hamiltonsrun.com.au
Morten Hansen of Denmark was elected to the Board in 2019, and became Vice President at the Estonian conference in 2023. He is Chairman of the Viking Red Breed Committee, and is himself a dairy breeder with 270 cows. He gained a PhD in animal breeding in 2003, and took over the family farm in 2004. Morten conducts a very active breeding programme in his herd with 15-20 embryo transfers each year. Viking Red bulls such VR Fenton, VR Hielke and VR Faber have come from his herd.
Email: mortenha841@gmail.com
Russell Tocker of New Zealand is a new young face to the Board from 2019. He lives on the north island of New Zealand at Tiakitahuna and runs a family farm with his brother Zac and their parents. They milk about 700 cows with about 140 being red dairy cattle.
Russell and his partner Sarah have two young children, and enjoy raising them on the property so they can share family time.
Russell's hobbies are bush walking and playing rugby. He is also on the Board of New Zealand Milking Shorthorn Society.
Email: sarah_oliver@windowslive.com
Lorenz Engelbrecht of Germany is a new face to the Board from 2023.
He was born and raised on his parents' farm in Angeln in northern Germany, near the border with Denmark. From an early age he was interested in breeding cows, especially Red Angler cows.
After Lorenz finished his education he took over from his parents on the farm in 1998, where he lives with his wife and their two children. Currently they are milking 140 cows, most of which are Angler cows.
All heifers are genomically tested. The Engelbrecht farm has two bulls in AI teams namely ALERIO and BAMBUS P.
Lorenz became a Board member for the Angler Breeding Association in 2013, and its Chairman in 2016.
Havard Melbo Tajet of Norway is a new face to the Board from 2023.